'Phantom Thread' earns top prize from Boston film critics group

Sunday

Dec 10, 2017 at 7:25 PMDec 10, 2017 at 8:37 PM

By Dana Barbuto/The Patriot Ledger

Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s fashion-focused period drama garnered a leading three awards – including best picture – when the Boston Society of Film Critics held its 37th annual vote on the year’s top films.

The movie, a mad love story about a celebrated fashion designer ( Daniel Day-Lewis) developing a relationship with a working-class girl (Vicky Krieps) in 1950s London, also earned nods for best directing for Anderson and original score for Jonny Greenwood. It was named best picture after seven rounds of voting, edging out Guillermo del Toro’s romantic fairy tale, “The Shape of Water.” “Phantom Thread” opens in Boston in January.

“Lady Bird,” Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut, also had a strong showing, nabbing a pair of prizes. Gerwig picked up the best screenplay award and Laurie Metcalf was named best supporting actress for her turn as a mother struggling to connect with her obstinate teenage daughter (Saoirse Ronan). Allison Janney finished second for her role as a chain-smoking domineering mother in, “I, Tonya.”

Jordan Peele’s scathing social horror satire, “Get Out,” also had a solid showing. Peele won best new filmmaker and Daniel Kaluuya was voted best actor over Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name”) in a tight contest that was settled after three rounds of voting.

In the other acting categories, Sally Hawkins won best actress for playing a mute cleaning lady who falls in love with an amphibious man held captive in a Cold War-era government lab in “The Shape of Water.” Krieps was the runner-up. After three rounds of voting, Willem Dafoe won supporting actor honors for his work in “The Florida Project,” beating out Sam Rockwell (“Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”).

The critics group spread its honors around in other categories. The best ensemble prize went to Noah Baumbach’s family dramedy, “The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected),” starring Dustin Hoffman, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Emma Thompson, Grace Van Patten, Elizabeth Marvel and Candice Bergen.

In the documentary category, “Dawson City: Frozen Time,” about the rediscovery of hundreds of previously-lost nitrate film prints from the early 1900s, edged out Agnès Varda and JR’s “Faces Places.” David Lowery won best editing for his esoteric “A Ghost Story.” “I, Tonya,” Craig Gillespie’s black comedy about disgraced figure skater Tonya Harding, claimed the second spot.

Pixar’s “Coco,” set during Mexico’s Dia de los Muertos celebration, easily won the best animated film category. “Loving Vincent” was runner-up.